1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to article lifting and transport devices. More particularly, the invention concerns a dolly-like apparatus which is specially designed for use in lifting and transporting lavatory fixtures including urinals and toilets.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Article lifting and transport devices such as two wheeled transport dollies are well known in the art. However, such devices are not well suited for lifting and transporting irregularly shaped articles such as urinals and toilets. In this regard, because of the irregular configuration of such fixtures and their manner of installation, lifting of the fixtures for repair or replacement is often cumbersome and difficult. For example, both conventional toilets and urinals are heavy, difficult to grip and exhibit a tendency to easily tip and break. Therefore, as a general rule, moving and installation of such fixtures is a two-person operation so that the fixtures can be lifted and at the same time safely balanced. In the case of a toilet, because of its weight and cumbersome configuration, it is often necessary to break the toilet down into its separate components during the toilet removal and installation process. This is both inefficient and time consuming.
The thrust of the present invention is to overcome the prior art difficulties of handling lavatory fixtures by providing a specially designed, easy-to-use article transport cart which can be used by one person to safely and easily lift and transport cumbersome, irregularly shaped articles such as toilets and urinals. The improved cart includes strategically positioned, vertically adjustable lifting arms and a cooperating article stabilizing means which permits the fixtures to be lifted with minimum effort while they are being maintained in a stable orientation on the cart. Both the lifting arms and the stabilizing means are adjustable so that upon moving the foldable toe plate of the apparatus into a downward operating position, the cart can be used in a traditional manner such as a conventional two wheeled dolly. When the lifting arms, the stabilizing means and the toe plate are in their folded, stowed position, the cart assumes a low profile configuration for easy storage and transport.
A number of lifting devices have been suggested in the past for lifting and transporting toilets. One such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,722,511 issued to Chitwood. this patent describes a four wheeled cart having toilet engaging lifting bars which are selectively vertically movable by a hand actuated threaded rod.
Another somewhat similar prior art lifting device is disclosed U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,065 issued to Peters. The Peters device comprises a three-wheeled cart having a toilet engaging and lifting assembly which can be lifted by a hydraulic jack unit.
Still another hand cart for lifting and transporting toilets is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,373,593 issued to Decky et al. This apparatus includes a 4-wheeled wheeled base and a frame designed to straddle the toilet. A hand operated screw jack and ball mechanism is used to secure and lift the toilet.
A common drawback of many of the prior art toilet lifting and transport devices is that the devices tend to be of somewhat complex construction generally making them difficult to use and expensive to manufacture. Another drawback of certain of the prior art toilet lifting and transport devices is that they are relatively heavy and bulky making them difficult to transport and store. Further, while the devices are usable for lifting and transporting toilets, they are not well suited for installing, removing and transporting urinals.